Just In Case I Forgot To Tell You…

Just incase I forgot to tell you…I love these qualities in you!

Hubby has been feeling really low these days and for good reason. As a result his feeling of self worth is depleted.

As a help mate our job is to remind our spouse of their value. To re-affirm the God given qualities that are invested in them. Why? Because our dear ones come under fire everyday and if they buy into the bad press it can be fatal.

When we lose our sense of value we begin to concentrate on the negative voices in our head and pretty soon we are filled with self pity or worse still self loathing. These feelings make us lose site of God and fill us with despair. It’s pretty difficult to function when you reach this place.

By being reminded that we have pretty awesome qualities, we feel esteemed and loved and pretty soon we begin to believe that with God on our side, we have what it takes to go back out there and make a positive contribution.

And one day, who knows, maybe we’ll take over the world!

He Will Lead, He Will Bless And He Will Get The Glory.

When faced with life changing decisions we begin to worry. Motivated by our own needs and desires we fear making wrong choices. This only paralyzes us and sends us spiraling into confusion and doubt.
This scripture grounds me. It reminds me of what is real and all my worry disappears.
Firstly, God is in control, so I don’t need to be. He is omnipotent (all powerful) and there is no one greater. I have surrendered my life to him  and I don’t need to take it back. I am at peace when I am in the center of HIS will.
Secondly, God is omnipresent (He is everywhere). In whatever location He chooses to bring glory to Himself He will be with me and I will be blessed.
And there it is. I will be blessed. What more could I ask for. I don’t need to worry about my future He will lead, He will bless and He will get the glory.

The Character of God in Genesis Ch1

Wow this blew my mind.  How much of God we can see in this passage if only we are looking.
First of all He is intentional, He hovers over the formless and empty  face of the deep and He works to change it!
He’s orderly, first he gives light and then dry ground before filling the earth with living things.
He’s disciplined, measuring each day with a new act of creation.
He’s powerful, needing to only speak things into existence.
He’s creative, not only creating species but variations within. Creation was created in “their vast array”
Discerning, with each creation He could see that “it was good”.
He is plural, “Let us make man in our image”
He is an enabler, giving the ability to be fruitful and procreate. Scripture says this is a blessing.
He is a provider, taking care of every physical need. Even rest on the seventh day.

It comforts me to know that God knows my every need even before I do. It also inspires me to take care of those needs for myself and others. What’s more is that seeing these qualities in My God makes my soul say, “He is good!”
Are there any of these areas in your world that you have not acknowledged the work of God and given thanks?
Does God want to work through you in any of these areas and bless someone else? 
*(I would like to dig deeper into what our image and likeness actually means)

Reading Through The Scriptures, Any Joiners?

Today I made the decision to read through the Bible. Not in a year, and not with set daily segments, not with a digital program or with reminders. Simply, read through the Bible from start to finish.
Having the pleasure of a little more space and time at the moment I am revisiting the five disciplines of the spiritual life, Bible reading, study, prayer, meditation, and evangelism.
I stumbled across a book on meditation called, “A Tree by a Stream”, by Edmond Smith. In his book he has compiled readings on meditation from a list of great writers and preachers. However, it was his intro that grabbed me.
I had read Psalm 1 to my son the day before explaining how surrounding ourselves with sin even in our entertainment can corrupt us. If we want to be strong and fruitful in our lives we need to have boundaries that are healthy and remind ourselves of the things of God.

Today, in Smith’s book, this came back to me. God has a way of speaking to us about these things! If I am to combat the messages that the world bombards me with on a daily basis I must meditate on His word. Further more, if I am to know His word in context I should now it in its entirety. I should know God’s plan for humanity and how I fit into that.
So, I have tried it before and gave up quite quickly. I am not one to read masses of information at top speed. I get bored with this very quickly. Smith says there is about 50 hours of reading in the old testament and 20 in the new. 15 minutes a day should cover this quite nicely I think. That’s achievable isn’t it?
I know I can do 15 minutes of reading a day. I know I won’t read with speed so I am not aiming to read it in a year. However, I am starting at the front and will aim to read straight through. My goal in my reading is to discover the Character of God in the Scriptures. I am going to read from ‘The Daily Bible In Chronological Order – 365 Readings” This way I can see the Scriptures in a timeline and understand the way God is at work through history.   Sorry for the long explanation but if there are any joiners let me know by leaving a comment.

Just a Girl

So this is me. I thought this a rather apt first post. For the how to of the art work go here The Vue From Here.
My world, once dark with sin and the absence of God’s love, was illuminated by the Holy Spirit when I was about 11 years old. I became so aware of how far away from God I was after I had been to a church meeting with a friend. The Scriptures told me how  I was cut off God because he was Holy and could not look at my sin.
I felt so lonely and desperate to have God’s forgiveness.  Then I was given a tract. The small pamphlet explained, from the Scriptures, how much God loved me in that he sent his Son to die and pay the price for my sin.  “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotton Son so that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting LIFE” John 3:16
With that payment made, on my behalf, I was free to come to God and receive His forgiveness and enter into a beautiful, intentional, relationship.   I believed God for this wonderful news of His redemption and have never looked back.  Now my world rocks!

Jesus Love You

Easter ASBC week 4 (hooray!)

Jesus loves you John 21:1-25 Have we thought about our relationship toward Him? MV "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13 Coloring: coloring sheet, crayons. Snack: apples, biscuits, squash, disposable cups. Bible story: Bibles. Craft: Cute cups and jelly beans to explain the gospel and printout for back of cup. Gold – that reminds me of heaven and my relationship with the King of Heaven. He is holy and magnificent Purple – that reminds me of how my heart was stained with sin and that it separates me from the holiness of God. Red – that reminds me of the blood shed at the cross to cover my sin and pay the price for me. White – that reminds me that my heart is now clean and God sees me as holy Green – that reminds me how I can grow in the love of Jesus.

Jesus Is Alive!

Easter ASBC week 3

Jesus Rises from the Dead Matt 28:1-10 MV “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said…” Matthew 28:6 Coloring: Coloring sheet, crayons. Snack: apples, biscuits, squash, disposable cups. Bible story: Bibles. Craft: Easter Chick. Paper plates, yellow paint and brushes, yellow feathers, googly eyes, orange felt,  memory verse, scissors and glue.

Easter After School Bible Club, week 2

Jesus Dies On The Cross, Luke 23: 1-49 
MV John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Coloring: Coloring Sheet, crayons. Snack: apples, biscuits, squash, disposable cups. Bible story: Bibles. Craft: Paper plates, shave foam, paint, lolly sticks,  card with egg shape    drawn on it, greeting card and envelope, felt pens, memory verse, scissors and glue.

Easter After School Bble Club, Week. 1

Foot Washing
Memory Verse:-
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

John 13-1-17Snack
biscuits, Apples, squash, paper cups.
Coloring sheet and crayons
Craft: – Easter Baskets. 2x paper plates, paper flowers, pipe cleaners, staples, masking tape, glue (both types), brown crepe paper, hole punch and wool. Memory verse on colored card.